In Louisiana, nothing about August suggests fall, especially the current one with its triple-digit heat indexes.

But three LSU players couldn't be happier. Defensive end Sam Montgomery, safety Brandon Taylor and guard Josh Dworaczyk have been mostly spectators since the end of last season but are back as the Tigers went through their first full-team practice Saturday.

Montgomery (knee) and Taylor (foot) suffered season-ending injuries in 2010 and were held out of contact work in the spring. Dworaczyk sat out the spring after having postseason knee surgery. All have returned at full speed with perhaps a little bit more eagerness than their teammates.

"Great, 110 percent, fellas," Montgomery said with extra enthusiasm when asked how he was feeling. "Can't wait to get back out there.

"No setbacks, no swelling. I walk out of here with a smile on my face, and run around on the field, dropping into coverage, running to the football. It's great."

It's hard to blame Montgomery for the release of emotion on an innocuous question. He's been out the longest of the three. He was having a strong redshirt freshman season when a Tennessee running back blocked him low, causing a torn knee ligament in the fifth game.

By easing back into action and avoiding contact work in the spring, it ensured his return and, he said, has made him better than ever.

Taylor might have had it tougher. He had a shorter window for recovery and a more painful, complex injury suffered when he planted his foot and went down without contact against Alabama. He suffered a Lisfranc fracture of his right foot, the same injury former LSU quarterback Matt Mauck had in 2002.

Repair consisted of surgically reattaching a ligament to the bone and inserting two permanent screws three days after the injury. He went through a three-month healing process before he could run and two more months of rehab. He reports improved speed now that the process is over.

"As far as my cutting ability, I didn't lose anything," he said. "I got faster than I was before.

"If I feel soreness, not in my foot, but my ankle because it's weak, that's the only thing. I haven't hit in a long time. I'm ready to get back out there."

Dworaczyk, a senior who has started 26 consecutive games in two years, is still working his way back. Unlike Montgomery and Taylor, he's getting strong competition to regain his job from T-Bob Hebert. Dworaczyk, Hebert and right guard Will Blackwell have each been derailed at some point by injuries.

LSU Coach Les Miles said Dworaczyk is on a scheduled program to ease him back into the mix.

"It's been slow the first two days," Dworaczyk said. "It's honestly just from being out. T-Bob had a great spring and had a great summer. It's a battle for a position. We're both going to split time and split the position with the ones.

"You don't just give a guy back his position. That's something we've never done here. You come back out and earn it. That's my goal right now."

Miles said the success in handling injuries is due to the cautious approach the team takes. There's never a rush to get a player back for spring practice or summer workouts. The target date is always the next season.

"You look at a long-term approach to injury," he said. "You want to put them in position for today and the rest of the season, not necessarily the spring or any other time frame.

"Anything that needs repair, or that's urgent or acute, we want it done then to give them the greatest time to heal and rehab."

Montgomery said sitting out helped him mature mentally while he was healing physically. That has contributed to making him a better player overall.

Taylor echoed those sentiments.

"Sitting out makes you real eager, but you have to be smart about it," he said. "I was patient and waited for my time. I learned a lot being on the sidelines. I became a better player from a mental aspect, and I needed that."

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Jim Kleinpeter can be reached at jkleinpeter@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3405.